I've Always Loved You
by The French Hippie
Summary: Calling all Reporters
1. Stars Fell From Her Hair

Title: I've Always Loved You  
Author Email: french_hippie@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG...for now   
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.  
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at Smallville fic, I hope I'm not too out of practice, I haven't written any fic since In A Heartbeat got cancelled. *sigh* Well, we'll see where this goes.

Part 1 – Stars Fell From Her Hair

            Chloe stirred in her sleep. She thought she heard some one tapping on her window. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at her alarm clock, it was after midnight. She got up and went over to her window. On the ground she saw none other than Clark Kent. She opened her window and shivered as a cold gust of air enveloped her. 

            "Clark!" she called down to him, "What are you doing here?

            "Please come down, I need to talk to you," he answered, then flashed her that famous Kent smile.

            "This better be important," Chloe muttered as she closed her window and started tiptoe-ing downstairs. 

            Once in the kitchen, she flipped on the small light over the stove and went to open the door and bring her friend in from the cold. Clark stepped inside, he didn't appear to be phased by the cold at all.

            "So what's important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?" Chloe asked.

            "Well," Clark began, "there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now. And I haven't been quite sure how to say it, but now…" he trailed off.

            "Now?" Chloe said. She hoped against hope that Clark was going to tell her what she thought he was. She knew it was impossible though. Clark was too busy drooling over Lana Lang to ever notice her. He couldn't possibly feel the same way she felt about him.

            "I finally figured out that it would be best just to show you," he told her.

            "Show me?" Chloe repeated. Clark nodded; he leaned in closer, and closer. Chloe closed her eyes. Her heart raced. And then, she was snapped out of her dream by the obnoxious beeping of her alarm clock.

            "DAMNIT!" she yelled as she shut off the clock.

            Her mother, who had been passing by her room, gave Chloe a stern look before continuing on. Chloe cringed, she hadn't meant for her mother to hear her cursing at her alarm, "Sorry mom."

            As Chloe sighed as she got out of bed. "It figures I'd wake up just as I was getting to the best part."

~*~

            Meanwhile, at the Kent farm, Clark was still fast asleep and dreaming. Chloe opened the door for him and he stepped inside.

            "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now. And I haven't been quite sure how to say it, but now…" he heard himself saying, "I finally figured out that it would be best just to show you."

            "Show me?" Chloe repeated. Her voice sounded hopeful. He nodded, and leaned in to kiss her. He had meant for the kiss to be a soft and gentle one, however, as she wrapped her arms around him, he deepened it.

            "Clark, wake up," he heard a voice calling. He opened his eyes to see his mother standing next to his bed.

            "It's about time sleepy-head. I've been trying to get you up for the past five minutes."

            Clark barely paid attention to what she was saying. He was still trying to make sense of the dream he'd been having. Clark finally made it downstairs, dressed and ready for school.

            "Have good dreams?" his mother asked.

            "Why do you say that?" Clark asked. He could feel his cheeks turning pink.

            "You were smiling in your sleep." His mother answered.

            "I've got to go, mom." Clark said hurrying out the door. He hoped his mother hadn't seen him blushing. No sooner was Clark out the door than did he see his bus half way down the road. 

            _"Oh well,"_ Clark thought and took towards the high school.


	2. The Voices in My Head

Title: I've Always Loved You 

Author Email: french_hippie@yahoo.com

Rating: PG...for now ;)  

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.

Author's Note: I'd just like to say that most of the stuff that's going to happen b/t Clark and Chloe has actually happened to me. It didn't work out good for me at all so I figured I'd put a happy twist to it. Btw, //  are thoughts

Part 2 – The Voices in My Head

            Today Chloe had been glad that Clark had missed the bus. She didn't know if she'd be able to keep herself from staring at him. The last thing she wanted was for him to catch her. She'd probably end up blushing like an idiot.

            "So, Chloe, what's up with the outfit? Planning on finally asking out 'you-know-who'?" Pete teased. They both knew that by 'you-know-who' he meant Clark. 

            "Pete, for like, the millionth time, I do not like Clark," Chloe hissed. She knew it was untrue, but there was no way she was going to tell Pete that. If it ever got back to Clark, she didn't know what she'd do. She knew he couldn't possible feel the same way she did. He was far too busy pining away for Lana to ever notice her. Chloe looked out the window and sighed, remember her wonderful, yet cut-short dream.

            "Whatever you say, Chloe. I'll be here when you come out of this denial."

            "And what's wrong with my skirt?" Chloe asked, defensively.

            "Well, it's just…not very you…and very…short."

            "You might have forgotten but I am a girl. And we do have the tendency to wear skirts from time to time."

            "Sorry." He said. Pete let Chloe continue her staring out the window, and the rest of bus ride was in silence. //Geez. Could she be more obvious? I wish she'd just admit it.//

Clark caught up with Chloe and Pete as they made their way into the high school.

            "Hey guys! Wait up!" Clark called as he ran after them.

            "I will never understand how you make it to school on time everyday," Pete greeted him. They continued down the hall where they would go their separate ways and to their respective classes.

            "Wait a second, I gotta stop at my locker," Chloe said. She stopped at a particular locker, spun the combination until it opened and then stuffed her coat inside. Once her long coat was off Chloe's very short skirt was much more visible. Clark looked at her in disbelief.

            "Hey, earth to Clark," Pete said, noting his friend's glazed over expression.

            "W-w-what are you wearing," Clark stammered, his eyes still fixed at Chloe's choice of clothes, or lack there of. It wasn't just the extremely short skirt she was wearing, but also the low-cut, short-sleeved baby tee that caught his attention.

            "It's a skirt, Clark," she said simply, "I am allowed to wear them, you know."

            "But it's the middle of February!" Clark cried. Chloe just looked at him and rolled her eyes.

***

            It was later on that day. Chloe had made it through yet another day of school and was now, as always, working diligently on the torch. For what seemed like the millionth time that day, she shivered.

            //Maybe I **should** have worn something warmer,// Chloe thought, //but then again…Clark did pay me some attention today.//  She smiled and went back to work.

            "Need some company?" a familiar voice asked, interrupting her concentration. She looked up to see Clark smiling that great smile of his.

            "Of course," she smiled back at him. Clark walked over and stood behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders as he read what she was working on. Chloe sighed at his touch. His hands were warm against her cool skin. "Pull up a chair Clark. Unless you intend on standing there all day." 

            Clark did as he was told and pulled a chair away from another computer and moved it very close to her. Clark noticed that he had to stop him self from staring at her while they worked no less than three times. He didn't know what was going on with him. Ever since Chloe had kissed him while they were at Kyle's, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He didn't tell her, but the kiss was certainly a lot more than just 'fine.'

            "Okay. I think we're just about done. I just need to put in that article Pete's writing for me and then we're done. However I might have to rearrange some things depending on how long it is." Chloe sat back in her chair and sighed.

            "I'm sure you'll make it work, Chlo. You always do," Clark reassured her, "why don't we take a break," he said as he saw her yawning. Chloe stood up, stretched, and yawned again. "Tired?" Clark asked.

            "Yeah. I didn't sleep too well last night." She told him.

            "Oh. Bad dreams?"

            "No…actually they were pretty good," she laughed. Her cheeks turning a bright pink, Chloe turned away as she remembered who she was talking to. //Nice job, Chloe.//  She mentally yelled at herself. //Why don't you just go and tell him he's the reason they were so good?//

            "What's wrong?" Clark asked, sensing the tension that had appeared so suddenly.

            "Nothing, I just need to get some fresh air. I'm gonna go grab something from the vending machine."

            Once Chloe was gone, Clark let out a giant sigh. 

            //What's going on here?//

            His stomach had being doing flip-flops since he entered the room. Hanging out with Chloe had never been like this before. Even Lana had never made him feel quite this way. Chloe reentered the room, Hershey bar in hand. She shivered as she sat back down in her cold seat. Clark, still standing behind her, chuckled. 

            "Cold?" he asked. Chloe nodded. "I wonder why." Chloe shot an annoyed look his way, as if to say, 'Enough cracks about the outfit.'

            "I'm sorry Chlo. Come here." 

            Clark stood with his arms outstretched. Chloe got up from her chair but she was still somewhat perplexed as she walked towards him. 

            //What's going on with him?//

            He wrapped his arms around her and as she felt his warmth envelop her she also felt her heart beat faster. After what seemed like forever, although in Chloe's opinion it didn't last long enough, Clark released his blonde friend and rubbed her shoulders.

            "Better?" he asked. 

            On the outside he appeared cool and collected but mentally he was screaming at himself. //What am I doing? I'm hitting on Chloe! Chloe, my best friend! What is wrong with me?//

            "Um, Clark." Chloe's voice brought him back to reality, "I think I'm just going to get my coat out of my locker."

            "Don't bother," Clark said. 

            Before she had a chance to protest, he had pulled off his sweater and handed it to her. As she pulled it on she saw that it was far too big, which was to be expected, and hung on her like a dress. The sleeves were far too long; her hands were lost in them. It came down so far that you couldn't even see her skirt. Not that her skirt was so long to begin with. Chloe looked up to see Clark with a smile on his face. He seemed as if he was trying not to laugh.

            "What's so funny?"

            "You," he admitted, "You look so cute like that." Once the words were out of his mouth he wished he hadn't said them. //Did I really just say that? Did I just call Chloe cute?//

            Chloe kind of half smiled at him. They both just stood there, Chloe draped in Clark's sweater, Clark in a red t-shirt, his muscular arms exposed.

            //Wow, he looks really good in that t-shirt.//  She looked up at him and their eyes met. The two continued to stand there, neither saying a word.

            //I really want to kiss you//  Clark thought, as he looked deep into her eyes. He concentrated on that thought as though she would be able to read his mind. //Would it ruin everything?// 

            They were so wrapped up in each other's presence they didn't even hear the door open and some one come inside. Pete had just returned from football practice and dropped by to give Chloe his article for the Torch.


	3. Hold You In My Hands

Title: I've Always Loved You  
  
Author Email: french_hippie@yahoo.com  
  
Rating: PG...for now  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.  
  
Author's Note: This is Part 3…I know you're all terribly excited. If you're all nice to me and review lots I might work extra hard to get Part 4 done, other wise this sleep deprived high school student will be catching up on her zzz's.  
  
   
  
Part 3 - Hold You In My Hands  
  
   
  
Pete walked into the Torch room, unnoticed by his two friends. //Whoa, what's going on here?// Pete thought, surprised by the sight of his two friends. In front of him he saw Clark and Chloe standing in the middle of the room doing nothing but looking into each other's eyes. He knew that Chloe had a thing for Clark, no matter how many times she denied it. But as for Clark, as far as Pete knew, he was still hopelessly hung up on Lana. The last thing Pete wanted was for Chloe to get hurt. //I'd better break up this little party before they do something they'll regret.//  
  
"I have that article for you Chloe," Pete said loudly. She jumped back suddenly, startled by Pete's voice breaking the silence.  
  
"Pete!" she cried, "I didn't hear you come in."  
  
"Seems you were preoccupied," Pete mumbled, setting the disk containing his article on her desk.  
  
"Well, uh, thanks for the article Pete. I'd better get started on this."  
  
"It's getting kinda late," Pete informed her, "it'll be getting dark soon."  
  
"Yeah, Chlo. You've worked hard enough for one day."  
  
"Well, okay…" she said reluctantly. Chloe didn't like to leave things unfinished, especially when it came to the Torch.  
  
Chloe, Clark and Pete left the school together and began their walk home. Pete took notice of the way Clark kept his arm around Chloe as they walked. Perhaps trying to protect her, perhaps more.  
  
Eventually it became time for Pete to say goodbye and go his separate way. This left the two friends alone together, once again.  
  
"You didn't have to walk me home, Clark. I'm sure you could have taken that short cut of yours and been home by now."  
  
"I know," he smiled, "but I wanted to. Beside I wanted to make sure that you got home safely."  
  
"So now I need a big strong man to protect me?"  
  
"You never know. There are some pretty strange characters in this 'leafy little hamlet." As you know," Clark told her with a smile.  
  
Chloe laughed and just shook her head. As she took her next step she felt her boot catch on something and before she knew it she was on the ground.  
  
"Chloe! Are you okay?" Clark asked as he held out his hand to help her up.  
  
"I think so," she told him as she took his hand. No sooner had she tried to stand than did she find her self collapsed in Clark's arms.  
  
"I think I twisted it," she said, rubbing her ankle. "Stupid shoes."  
  
"Can you walk?"  
  
"It's not that bad," Chloe winced as she stood, "I'll just limp the rest of the way. It's not far."  
  
"I don't think so," she heard Clark say. Soon she felt herself being embraced by strong arms and she realized that Clark intended to carry her the rest of the way home.  
  
"You're just loving this aren't you?" Chloe asked him as he continued down the road that lead to her house.  
  
"You get to be the big strong man and save the damsel in distress."  
  
Clark stopped walking and looked Chloe straight in the eye, "I can put you down if you really want." Chloe continued to look into his deep blue eyes for a moment before answering him,  
  
"No, that's okay." He smiled at her and she rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn't far now.  
  
//I might as well enjoy it now. This is probably the last time I'll ever be in his arms// she sighed as she breathed him in. //He even smells wonderful.//  
  
She hoped she wouldn't fall asleep right there in his arms, as his warmth and sweet scent surrounded her.  


	4. A Single Kiss, Felt Her Touch

Title: I've Always Loved You  
  
Author Email: french_hippie@yahoo.com  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.  
  
Author's Note: Here's the long awaited (well, not really) Part 4. Oooooh, aaaaahhh! I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this but I'm sure I'll figure it out as I go along. For now just go with me, I hope to have Part 5 posted by the end of the week.  
  
*  
  
Part 4 - A Single Kiss, Felt Her Touch  
  
Clark slowed carried his blonde friend up the stairs to her front door. "Chloe," he said softly, noticing her eyes were closed. She stirred but didn't open her eyes.  
  
"Chloe," he said again, this time she slowly opened her eyes and looked into his.  
  
"Clark?" She seemed surprised to find herself in his arms, perhaps thinking the whole experience had been yet another dream. She looked around and realized that she was home. He put her down gently, mumbled something about having chores to do, and turned to leave.  
  
"Clark," he turned around, "I just wanted to thank you…" she trailed off. He smiled at her and then gave her a quick a hug.  
  
"Feel better, okay?"  
  
"Sure, thing," She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow," she said before going inside. She looked back at him and smiled one last time before shutting the door behind her.  
  
Once inside Chloe leaned against the door and let out a giant sigh. "Wow," she whispered.  
  
"Chloe? Is that you?" he dad called from the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, Dad, it's me." She answered. Gabe Sullivan entered the living room. "Are you feeling okay Chloe? You look a little flushed," her father told her. In fact, her heart had finally stopped racing, for probably the first time since Clark had entered the Torch office that afternoon.  
  
"I'm fine dad, I'm just going to go upstairs and get changed." She slowly climbed the stairs and hoped her already overprotective father wouldn't notice that anything was wrong. The last thing she wanted to tell him was that she sprained her ankle walking home and Clark had carried her home. She was surprised he hadn't already commented on her current attire.  
  
"Oh wow," Clark sighed as he began to walk home. "I'm so confused." He opted to walk home normal speed. It would give him some time to think about things. He was in the middle of a heated discussion with himself when a black BMW pulled up next to him.  
  
"Anything wrong Clark?" Lex asked.  
  
"Well…" he hesitated, "Yeah."  
  
"Get in. I'll give you a ride." Lex waited a moment for Clark to get settled before asking him what was wrong.  
  
"How'd you know something w  
  
as wrong?" Clark asked, puzzled.  
  
"Clark. You were walking down the road practically arguing with yourself. That usually indicates that something's wrong."  
  
"Well, it's kind of complicated…"  
  
"So it's a girl problem then."  
  
"Lex, do you think it's worth it to risk a friendship just because you like someone?"  
  
Something in the way Clark was talking told Lex that he was not talking about Lana. Clark had never expressed this concern with Lana before. "But who else could it be?" he wondered as he pulled up to the Kent farm.  
  
"Thanks for the ride Lex."  
  
"If you really love her, go for it Clark," Lex told him before he got out of the car. Clark didn't say anything, he wondered it maybe Lex realized that they weren't talking about Lana for once.  
  
Chloe sat at her desk, trying to finish her biology homework. Her foot had been soaked, and bandaged, and was now propped up on a chair, making sitting at her desk rather difficult.  
  
"Screw this," Chloe said, exasperated. She shut her bio book, picked up her laptop and sat down on her bed. Once booted up, she opened the file that was her journal. She wasn't stupid enough to keep a hard copy of all her most personal thoughts and feelings. The purpose of a journal, she always thought, was to get those feelings written, not provide blackmail for her cousins to find when they came to visit.  
  
Oh man, today was so weird. I am so confused. I woke up from this really great dream about Clark, but of course I woke up before the best part. *Sigh* Then today I wore this this really skimpy top and short skirt, I don't know what ever possessed me to do such a stupid thing. I was freeing the whole day. But then after school Clark came by the Torch office and I swear he was flirting with me! I know other times it was probably just my imagination but there was no doubt about it this time. In fact, if Pete hadn't walked in, I think he might have ki--  
  
There was a knock on the door and Chloe quickly shut her laptop. "come in," she said. Her father poked his head in her room.  
  
"Phone for you Chloe," her father told her. He handed her the cordless phone.  
  
"Thanks dad…hello?" Chloe answered, hoping it wasn't Clark. She really didn't feel up to dealing with this right now.  
  
"Hi Chloe. It's Lex."  
  
TBC.... 


	5. Do I Lie or Tell the Truth?

Title: I've Always Loved You  
  
Author Email: french_hippie@yahoo.com  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.  
  
Author's Note: Majorly suffering from lack of sleep but I just had to finish typing this chapter up. If anyone had noticed, yes I steal all my titles from song lyrics. So far its been Sleep to Dream Her, DMB; Breathing, Lifehouse; Higher, Tara McClean; A Single Kiss, Trembling Blue Stars; Complicated, Carolyn Dawn Johnson.  
  
*  
  
Part 5 – Do I Lie or Tell the Truth?  
  
  
  
"Hi Chloe. It's Lex," the voice on the phone said. Lex Luthor, the closest thing to a celebrity in Smallville, was calling her, as if it were nothing.  
  
"Hi. Anything wrong?"  
  
"Well, yeah, I wanted to talk to you about Clark."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Have you noticed anything different about him? Is there anything wrong?"  
  
Unless you count him taking a few seconds to tear his eyes away from Lana and look at me. She didn't really think Lex wanted to get involved in this Lana-Clark-Chloe love triangle though, so she kept her thoughts to herself.  
  
"Not that I know of," Chloe told him.  
  
"Hmmm. Well okay. I just thought he was acting kind of weird today."  
  
"He sure was," Chloe agreed. She was more thinking out loud than responding to Lex's comment and hadn't meant for him to hear her.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Never mind, it's nothing." She told him, trying to cover her slip up.  
  
"If you say so. I guess I'd better let you go then."  
  
"Yeah, I've still got some homework to do." Not that she had any intention of actually doing it.  
  
"Bye Chloe."  
  
"Bye Lex." Chloe hung up the phone and went back to her journal.  
  
~*~  
  
"Clark, honey. You don't have to help me with this."  
  
"It's no problem mom, really," he told his mother. He finished washing the last plate and put it in the rack to dry. "See, done already." He told her as he dried off his hands. "I'm gonna be out in the loft for awhile."  
  
"Okay dear."  
  
Clark watched the setting sun from the loft. All the while, thoughts of his best friend raced through his mind. He sighed heavily and walked to the couch and sat down.  
  
"What's happening?" he muttered, his head in his hands. He couldn't understand where these feelings, and they were strong ones, had come from.  
  
"I've never felt this way before. Have I?" he couldn't be sure when he stopped seeing Chloe as a friend and as a girl, a girl he liked. Recently, he'd been too enamored with Lana to see anything. But that kiss, that had certainly opened his eyes. Every time he was around her he ended up daydreaming about her. Their English teacher had yelled at him three times for not paying attention in class. He remembered how Chloe had teased him about it afterwards.  
  
"If she only knew," he said to himself. But Chloe knowing his fantasies about them was the last thing he wanted. She couldn't possibly like him. They were just friends, right?  
  
"If there was just some way I could know for sure. Then I wouldn't have to risk our friendship…but how?" he thought a moment. "Pete!" he almost yelled. "Pete's gotta help me." Clark ran into the house. His parents hardly noticed the blur that was their son as he sped up to his room. He snatched the phone out of its cradle and dialed Pete's number.  
  
"Hey Clark, what's up?" Pete answered the phone.  
  
"How'd you know it was me?"  
  
"Caller ID, duh Clark."  
  
"Oh…anyway, I really need to talk to you Pete. Its important."  
  
"Is it about Chloe? Cause I've got some things I'd like ask you about today after school."  
  
"Can't chicken out now," Clark thought. Pete was going to drag it out of him eventually anyway, so he might as well tell him now.  
  
"Well…" he started, but he soon realized this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.  
  
"Cause it really looked like you were about to kiss her before I walked in." Pete said matter-of-factly. He knew he was taking a risk saying it outright, because there was that chance that Clark would just freak and hang up on him. It was that whole denial thing that Chloe did so well.  
  
Clark however, really wanted to give Pete a piece of his mind, respond with something like, "Yeah and I would have if you hadn't interrupted." But of course he didn't say that.  
  
"I…I…I was. I really wanted to," was what he said instead. It was really all he could manage. "If it's this hard to tell Pete I like Chloe…how am I ever going to admit it to her?" he wondered.  
  
"What?!" Pete asked in shock. "Are you trying to tell me you have feelings for Chloe?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so…I'm still kind of confused." Pete couldn't believe his ears. Chloe would be elated when she found this out. Pete's spirits sank though at the next thing Clark said. "You can't tell Chloe though, no matter what. Ok Pete?"  
  
"Sure, Clark. I wont say anything." Pete agreed. A few minutes later they hung up.  
  
"Damn, what was am I going to do?" Pete thought for a minute. "I can't tell Chloe cause Clark made me promise. And I can't tell Clark that Chloe likes him because…she'd kill me." He stopped again to think, then finally came up with a solution. "Clark didn't say anything about telling other people." He said as he reached for the phone. As much as he hated him, and anything to do with him, Pete knew he was the only one who could help. He pressed the three necessary digits on the cordless phone: 4-1-1.  
  
"Could I please have the number for Lex Luthor?"  
  
After she had gotten off the phone with Lex, Chloe returned to writing in her journal.  
  
…He carried me all the way up to my doorstep. Before he left I kissed him on the cheek. If Miss Lana "I'm so perfect" Lang can get away with it, why cant I? You can do that when you're just friends, right? I'm not even going to worry about it. He's probably pushed it to the back of his memory and wont even mention. Just like he did with the infamous kiss that I cant remember.  
  
Chloe looked up from her laptop and sighed. She couldn't believe that it had all really happened. If only she could remember. The ticking of her alarm clock caught her attention and she glanced over to check the time. She saw that is was well past eleven.  
  
"I'd better get to bed before dad yells at me for still being up." She saved the file and shut down her laptop. She placed it carefully on her desk and picked up Clark's sweater off her chair. She folded it carefully and was about to place it on top of her backpack. Before doing so however, she buried her face in the dark blue fabric and inhaled. His scent was still there, and it was heavenly. She never had the chance to get that close to him before, and she had no idea how anyone could smell so good, just by being, them. She would have given anything to have him there in that sweater, his wonderful strong arms wrapped around her. She finally put the sweater down and climbed into bed.  
  
"Maybe I'll get to see you in my dreams again," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep. She tried not to think about the fact that it was the only place she was likely to be with him. 


End file.
